Winner and Tour Conclusion | Yes, Carol...It's Christmas! Blog Tour

Good morning and happy December! Our festive Christmas blog tour has reached its end—but we still get to announce the giveaway winner, share some tour highlights, offer some gift ideas, and wish you a very merry Christmas! Let's get started...

Winner Time

Congratulations to the winner of the "party in a box" giveaway...

Cheryl H.!

She won a signed copy of Yes, Carol...It's Christmas!, two Betty Crocker sugar cookie mixes, two cookie cutters, a four-pack of sprinkles, a strand of Christmas lights, and two glass ornaments. Woohoo! Thank you to everyone who entered and spread the word. :)

Tour Highlights

This tour was filled with fun, creative, and touching posts from Cindy and our team of bloggers. If you missed any of them, it's not too late to check them out! Here are some handy links...

Cindy's Christmas Party Tips

• Part 1: Decorating the House
• Part 2: Icing Festive Sugar Cookies
• Part 3: Planning Party Games for Guests

Visiting Christmas Past, Present, and Future with...

• Cindy Vincent
• Carissa Miller
• Amber Holcomb

'Twas the Night Before Christmas

• Cindy's take (featuring the cats from her novella!)

Reviews

• "I liked Yes, Carol…It's Christmas! even more than A Christmas Carol if that is even possible, and it will now become a Christmas season re-read in the years to come." | Carissa's review

• "If you are looking for a fun and fast Christmas read, this one will surely put you in the Christmas spirit!" | Julie's review

• "I highly recommend adding this novella to your Christmas reading list this year." | Heather's review (+ author interview and fudge recipe!)

• "Full of sass and heartwarming moments, this novella moves at a swift pace." | Miranda's review

• "A very short, breezy read to help you get into—or sustain—the Christmas spirit." | Jes's review

Christmas Gift Ideas

With this blog tour, we've been celebrating Cindy Vincent's novella, Yes, Carol...It's Christmas! (which would make a fun holiday gift for yourself or a loved one!). But Cindy is also the author of many other books...

Perfect for Kids (and Cat-Lovers)

The Buckley & Bogey Cat Detective Capers
#1 The Case of the Cat Show Princess
#2 The Case of the Crafty Christmas Crooks
#3 The Case of the Jewel Covered Cat Statues
#4 The Case of the Clever Secret Code

To learn  more about Buckley and Bogey, visit www.buckleyandbogey.com.

Perfect for Historical Mystery Fans

The Tracy Truworth, Apprentice P.I., 1940s Homefront Mysteries
#1 Bad Day for a Bombshell
#2 Swell Time for a Swing Dance

Perfect for Friends and Family

Daily Devotional
Cats Are Part of His Kingdom, Too

Find Cindy's books on Amazon, and learn more about Cindy and her work at cindyvincent.net.

Merry Christmas!

Cindy and I want to offer our sincere gratitude to all the bloggers who participated in the Yes, Carol...It's Christmas! blog tour, as well as all those who joined the fun by leaving comments and entering the giveaway! It was wonderful to kick off the Christmas season with you all. :) Wishing each of you a joyous Christmas!

Cindy's Christmas Past, Present, and Future | Yes, Carol...It's Christmas! Blog Tour

In honor of Cindy Vincent’s novella, Yes, Carol…It’s Christmas!—a fun modern-day reimagining of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens with its ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future—Cindy is going to visit Christmas past, present, and future in today’s tour post. Enjoy!

Christmas Past

When it comes to Christmas Past, one of my favorite memories is from Christmas 1988, when my husband, Rob, and I were still dating and just a few months from getting engaged. That year, his Christmas present to me was one of the most special he has ever given me.

So what was this treasured gift? Diamonds, emeralds or rubies? Nope. He gave me a computer program. MS Word, to be specific. On the surface, it doesn’t sound all that exciting, does it? Especially since I didn’t even own a computer. Back in 1988, computers weren’t so prevalent like they are today, and not everyone had one.

But Rob did own a computer, an Apple Macintosh. (And yes, it was a pretty big hint that he bought me a computer program to use on his computer someday, considering we had a long-distance relationship at the time!) But here’s the rest of the story.

Only months before, I went through my employee evaluation at work, and my boss asked what my long-term goals were. Of course, I listed all the usual things, but I also told him that I wanted to write books. It wasn’t a big leap in my mind, since I’d enjoyed writing fiction as a child, and later, my college professors had encouraged me to write professionally. Thankfully, my boss responded with encouragement, too, and I left his office feeling elated.

Then I ran smack dab into a whole lot of discouragement. When my colleagues asked how my meeting had gone, I told them about my goals. Much to my horror, my much older colleagues (mostly with Ph.D.’s) treated the idea like it was a joke. After all, I was only in my twenties at the time and merely had a master’s degree. What could I possibly know about writing a book? To make matters worse, after I mentioned the idea to friends later, I got a pretty lukewarm reception from them, too. 

With so much negative feedback, I immediately started to wonder if my dream of authoring books was too outlandish and beyond my abilities. And for a while, I actually listened to those naysayers. That was, until Christmas morning when I unwrapped my present from Rob—a computer program. A program he thought I would need when I wrote my first book. In other words, my soon-to-be husband not only gave me a huge vote of confidence, but he also gave me the practical application to achieve my goals. It was just the encouragement that I needed, and it also let me know that he was the man for me. We got engaged less than a month later.

Christmas Present

Every year at Christmas, it always seems like there’s a mad rush to get all the decorations out. I put up three inside trees every year, and plenty of other inside embellishments as well. But the biggest show for us takes place outside, in our front yard. And this year, we’re expanding our Griswolds-style light show. We’ve got three controller boxes hooked to a computer, and the lights are choreographed to music. Here’s a picture of last year’s lights.

And here’s a picture from a couple of years ago. (Yes, we often win the neighborhood light competition!)

Otherwise, for once, we’re just looking forward to a quieter Christmas season than normal. Instead of hosting a party this year, I think we’ll have some friends over for dinner and maybe take some time to relax and contemplate the reason for the season. Sometimes it’s just nice to slow down and gaze at the stars.

Christmas Future

To look forward to Christmas Future, I want to start by looking back. Specifically, to the old black-and-white movie It’s a Wonderful Life. Within the story, you’ll note that celebrating Christmas and wishing people “Merry Christmas” was commonplace during that era. Much like it was when I grew up in the 1960s and 70s. But over the last few decades, I’ve seen a decline in the celebration and open expression of Christmas, with a debate on whether people should even wish each other “Merry Christmas” or not. In fact, here in Texas, our governor signed into law something that was dubbed the “Merry Christmas Bill,” making it legal for teachers and other school employees to continue to say, “Merry Christmas,” without fear of being fired. To me, it’s pretty sad that such a bill might even be necessary.

So . . . when I look to Christmas Future, I know in my heart that I want to do all I can to help preserve the traditions of Christmas, so that future generations can know the joy I have known, as we celebrate Christ’s birthday during this very special season.

How about you? 

Cindy and I would love to hear a favorite memory, your plans for this holiday season, or a dream you have for a future Christmas! Also, don’t forget to enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a “party in a box”! (See the tour introduction post for more details.)

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Cindy's Christmas Party Tips: Part 1 | Yes, Carol...It's Christmas! Blog Tour

The blog tour for Yes, Carol...It's Christmas! continues with the first of three posts featuring Cindy's Christmas party tips. Since the heroine of her novella is a former party host, it's a perfect topic for the tour—and so timely for this season!

Today, discover some delightful decorating tips...

Cindy’s Christmas Party Tips

Part 1: Decorating

Ah, Christmas . . . Just the mere mention of the name can bring back all kinds of wonderful memories for those who celebrate the season. In fact, many of us take a wonderful trip down memory lane every year when we decorate our trees, with each ornament bringing back thoughts of old friends and parties and times gone by.

Needless to say, Christmas is steeped in tradition, so it’s important to keep that in mind when hosting your own Christmas party. And while holiday decorating styles come and go, there are some things that are so iconic and so completely associated with Christmas that they will immediately make partygoers feel the joy and warmth of the season.

A Christmas tree, of course, is just one of those items, and I’d suggest having at least some kind of tree in your home for a party. Thankfully, you have tons of options to choose from—big, small, wide, narrow, real, artificial, tinsel, and on and on. Whatever you like, you’ll pretty much find it’s available. It’s a good idea to display your tree where all the party guests can see it and maybe even have their moment of basking in the beauty and lights of a decorated tree.

Considering you’ll have guests who really take the time to look at your tree, be careful about the kinds of lights you use for decorating it. LED lights are the modern thing, but frankly, most of those lights are just too bright for comfortable viewing. Especially if you have the room lights down low during your party. Instead, it’s better to stick with the old-fashioned incandescent lights, which aren’t so vivid and are more comfortable to look at. To add interest to your tree, don’t forget to add a strand or two of blinking or running lights, which will typically appear to keep time to any music you might have playing.

Here’s a photo of a dress-form tree that I made, and not only is it a great conversation starter, but it’s also much easier to create than it looks.

I simply took the top section of an old mannequin and put it on the bottom half of an old Christmas tree. (I believe I found both items at a thrift store.) Then I sewed a bustier for the mannequin top, though you could easily just pull a piece of fabric around for a top, and either glue, pin, or staple it in place. I added marabou (fake feathers) and other sparkly trim that can be found at a craft store. Once I had that in place, I plumped out the branches of the tree bottom, to create the skirt. I wound two strands of lights—one red and one white—through the branches. Finally, I used a glue gun to attach varying sizes of fake poinsettias to the outer branches. If you want more of a “tree” look, you can glue on fewer flowers. But I wanted a more concentrated look, so I actually glued 200 flowers onto my tree.

Twinkle lights are also one of those iconic items that practically scream . . . or rather, blink . . . Christmas. Because let’s face it, what other time of year would you put strands of lights around your home? And the best part is, you’ll actually get more bang for your buck with a strand of lights than most other decorating items.

This year, I’ve especially enjoyed these little micro-lights that I found at Costco. You can get a pack of four for around $10, and they’re battery operated, so you don’t need a plug-in nearby. These little lights really do pack a punch and light up a nice area for their size. They also come with a multi-function feature, so they can blink, fade, and even change colors. They’re especially beautiful when placed around clear glass.

Using lights to decorate are also wonderful symbols of the season, as it evokes the concept of light out of darkness. It also exemplifies that most beautiful sight of all—the star in the night sky over Bethlehem, on that very first Christmas of all!

And now, be sure to join us tomorrow (November 29th) for my second post on Christmas party entertaining at another wonderful blog, My Favorite Pastime. See you there!

Let the Party Continue!

We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section. How do you like to decorate for Christmas? What do you enjoy seeing at a Christmas party?

Don't forget to enter the giveaway below for a chance to win your very own "party in a box"! (See the introduction post for more details.)

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Visiting My Christmas Past, Present, and Future | Yes, Carol...It's Christmas! Blog Tour

With December 1st only a few days away, it’s almost time for me to pull out the wreath for our door, the tree for under our stairs, and all the little decorations that make our house just a bit more festive for this most delightful time of year. :) I can’t wait!

In honor of Cindy Vincent’s novella, Yes, Carol…It’s Christmas!—a fun modern-day reimagining of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens with its ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future—I’m going to visit Christmas past, present, and future in today’s tour post.

The Past

A Favorite Christmas Memory 

On December 10th, two years ago, my boyfriend and I spent the day on the coast. It was a Christmas miracle that he even made it for a visit—you can read more of the story HERE. After having breakfast with a beach view and walking around cute and festive Old Town, we drove to Heceta Head Lighthouse. As we looked down on the lighthouse from a trail, my boyfriend proposed and became my fiancé. :)

We then made our way back down to the bed-and-breakfast (what used to be the lightkeeper’s home), which was all decked out in its Christmas finery, and indulged in some cookies and a bit of Christmas cheer to conclude our memorable coastal outing.

I do so love that bed-and-breakfast, and it really is lovely dressed up for the holiday season! If you’d like to make their Christmas open house part of your plans this year, you can learn more HERE.

The Present

Plans for This Christmas 

As far as family goes, it’s just Josh (my husband) and me in this part of Montana. So if our Christmas this year is like our holiday last year, it will be simple and sweet, the two of us combining some of our favorite traditions. :)

One tradition Josh enjoys is baking and decorating Christmas sugar cookies. His family has a delicious recipe that calls for a bit of orange zest, which makes the cookies extra special.

I’m sure we’ll make more of these yummy cookies this year! I actually used the recipe for making Halloween cookies not too long ago…but I’m excited to make a bigger batch, with enough to munch on and share. :)

One tradition I enjoy is decorating the Christmas tree. My parents have a rather large artificial tree, and when I was growing up, it was a fun event to fill it with all sorts of Hallmark ornaments and other meaningful decorations. The tree even rotates, so guests can see everything and try out the interactive ornaments that speak or light up or play music.

Josh and I have a lovely little artificial tree a dear friend gave me when I was living on my own in Oregon. And happily, it fits perfectly under our stairs! The branches can hold quite a few ornaments, too, so I’m looking forward to once again adding some cheer to this spot in our main room.

The Future

Dreams for Christmas…Someday 

I have so many wonderful Christmas memories, and I hope to make even more with Josh and any children we might have someday. :) I want to pass along some of my parents’ and Josh’s parents’ traditions and create some more of our own. My deepest hope for Christmas future, should kids be part of the picture, is to pass along a love for Jesus and a desire to celebrate His coming to earth with reflective, joyful, grateful, and generous hearts.

As for a whimsical dream… If Josh and I were to ever own and run a bed-and-breakfast someday, I think it would be delightful to decorate the rooms and building, serve extra treats throughout December, and gather around a fire in the sitting room as we swap Christmas memories with our guests and maybe even hand out a few little gifts. It would be so warm and cozy! :) 

How about you? 

Cindy and I would love to hear a favorite memory, your plans for this holiday season, or a dream you have for a future Christmas! Also, don’t forget to enter the tour-wide giveaway for a chance to win a “party in a box”! (See the tour introduction post for more details.)

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Welcome Christmas with This Festive Novella Blog Tour! | Introduction Post

With Thanksgiving 2018 now a memory and December less than a week away, it's time to deck the blogs with Christmas posts! I'm thrilled to be the coordinator for this tour on behalf of author Cindy Vincent. :) Yes, Carol...It's Christmas! is a contemporary novella that reimagines A Christmas Carol with a former party host as the heroine. Keep reading to learn more about the book, Cindy, the tour schedule, and the tour-wide giveaway...

About the Book

As the top salesperson for Pfunn Party Supplies, Carol Frost doesn’t exactly know how to have fun herself these days. Though she wasn’t always such a humbug. Once upon a time, she was famous for hosting Christmas parties that were filled with everything from laughing guests and luscious hors d’oeuvres, to artfully iced sugar cookies and creatively decorated Christmas trees. To top it off, she even wrote a bestselling book that became the authoritative tome on Christmas party entertaining at the time—The Complete, Total, Ultimate, Everything-You-Might-Possibly-Want-to-Know Guide to Hosting the Best Christmas Parties Ever.

Yet that was long ago, before her life changed and she stashed her tinsel and twinkle lights away once and for all. And while Carol soon learned to settle for her boring but comfortable existence, an old friend knows that Carol isn’t really living up to her potential. An old friend who . . . well . . . now enjoys her eggnog in the afterlife, you might say. To goad Carol into going back to her former party-hosting ways, said friend sends three of her specter pals to pester Carol. Then, much to Carol’s annoyance, she is visited by the Ghost Hosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future on a plane filled with plenty of holiday revelers. And though Carol only wants to be left alone, the Ghost Hosts have other plans. Instead, they take her on an adventure that wasn’t exactly on her itinerary . . . or printed on her ticket stub. From that moment on, Carol’s life will never be the same. Provided, of course, she survives the jingle-bell rollercoaster of a ride and makes it home in time for Christmas . . .

Available now!

Paperback edition | Kindle edition | Goodreads

About the Author

CINDY VINCENT, M.A. Ed., was born in Calgary, Alberta, and has lived all around the US and Canada. She is the creator of the Mysteries by Vincent murder mystery party games and the Daisy Diamond Detective Series games for girls. She is also the award-winning author of the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Caper novels and the Daisy Diamond Detective series. She lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and an assortment of fantastic felines.

Website | Amazon | Goodreads

The Tour Schedule

Monday, November 26 

• Tour Introduction | Seasons of Humility 
• Review | Carissa's Bookshelf 
• Spotlight | My Favorite Pastime 

Tuesday, November 27 

• Review | My Favorite Pastime 
• Spotlight | A Real Writer's Life 
• Past-Present-Future Christmas post (Amber’s) | Seasons of Humility 

Wednesday, November 28 

• Cindy’s Christmas Party Tips: Part 1 (Guest Post) | Seasons of Humility 
• Past-Present-Future Christmas post | Carissa's Bookshelf 
• Review + Author Interview | Encouraging Words from the Tea Queen 
• Review | A Real Writer's Life 
• Spotlight | Heidi Reads... 

Thursday, November 29 

• Cindy’s Christmas Party Tips: Part 2 (Guest Post ) | My Favorite Pastime 
• Christmas with the Cats (Guest Post) | Melissa’s Mochas, Mysteries & Meows 
• Past-Present-Future Christmas post (Cindy’s) | Seasons of Humility 

Friday, November 30 

• Cindy’s Christmas Party Tips: Part 3 (Guest Post) | Heidi Reads... 
• Review | Pause for Tales 
• Spotlight | The Power of Words… 

Saturday, December 1 

• Giveaway Winner Announced | Seasons of Humility

Giveaway!

Put together your own best-ever Christmas party with this fun “party in a box” giveaway! Enter for a chance to win a package with the following prizes: a signed copy of Yes, Carol…It’s Christmas! by Cindy Vincent, two Betty Crocker sugar cookie mixes, two cookie cutters, a four-pack of sprinkles, a strand of Christmas lights, and two glass ornaments. Due to shipping costs and varying international laws, this giveaway is open to US residents (age 18 or older) only. Void where prohibited. Good luck!

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Announcing a Christmas Novella Blog Tour | Coming in November!

Don't worry... I'm not ready to rush through autumn. :) But in order to have enough preparation time, I'm pleased to announce sign-ups for a late November blog tour that's sure to get you in the Christmas spirit!

Here are some exciting aspects of this tour, which runs November 26-30:

- paperback review copies available to bloggers with US mailing addresses

- fun and festive Christmas-themed post options

- tour-wide giveaway to spread Christmas cheer

Read on to learn more about the book and see how you can sign up...

About the Book

As the top salesperson for Pfunn Party Supplies, Carol Frost doesn’t exactly know how to have fun herself these days. Though she wasn’t always such a humbug. Once upon a time, she was famous for hosting Christmas parties that were filled with everything from laughing guests and luscious hors d’oeuvres, to artfully iced sugar cookies and creatively decorated Christmas trees. To top it off, she even wrote a bestselling book that became the authoritative tome on Christmas party entertaining at the time—The Complete, Total, Ultimate, Everything-You-Might-Possibly-Want-to-Know Guide to Hosting the Best Christmas Parties Ever.

Yet that was long ago, before her life changed and she stashed her tinsel and twinkle lights away once and for all. And while Carol soon learned to settle for her boring but comfortable existence, an old friend knows that Carol isn’t really living up to her potential. An old friend who . . . well . . . now enjoys her eggnog in the afterlife, you might say. To goad Carol into going back to her former party-hosting ways, said friend sends three of her specter pals to pester Carol. Then much to Carol’s annoyance, she is visited by the Ghost Hosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, on a plane filled with plenty of holiday revelers. And though Carol only wants to be left alone, the Ghost Hosts have other plans. Instead, they take her on an adventure that wasn’t exactly on her itinerary . . . or printed on her ticket stub. From that moment on, Carol’s life will never be the same. Provided, of course, she survives the jingle-bell rollercoaster of a ride and makes it home in time for Christmas . . .

Available now from Whodunit Press

Order on Amazon | Add to Goodreads

About the Author

CINDY VINCENT, M.A. Ed., was born in Calgary, Alberta, and has lived all around the US and Canada. She is the creator of the Mysteries by Vincent murder mystery party games and the Daisy Diamond Detective Series games for girls. She is also the award-winning author of the Buckley and Bogey Cat Detective Caper novels and the Daisy Diamond Detective series. She lives in Houston, Texas with her husband and an assortment of fantastic felines.

Note to Potential Reviewers

This is a fun Christmas-themed novella, a modern-day reimagining of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. While the book is not specifically Christian fiction, the content is clean with only a small bit of romance.

Countdown to Christmas Cheer...

If you'd like to review the book or participate in the tour in other ways, sign up here:

Sign Up Today!

To learn more about my services as a freelance book editor and marketer, please visit www.amberchristineholcomb.com.